External pitch-bend for NE5D

[MathOfInsects]

Since this only comes up 15 or 20 times a month, I figured we were due:

 

Any new products or solutions that function as pitch bend and mod wheel (or knob)--only--for NE5D? I prefer something joy-stickish rather than pedal-driven for pitch bend, since that's what I'm used to. So phone and pedal are both out. I am hoping for something limited to stick (and mod controller), rather than even a small keyboard controller that *also has these.

 

Anything out there? Can I hacksaw a small midi board and make one? Do you think there's a way I can make the Hothand work for this? Could I repurpose my OB-1 controller for it?

 

What say you, KC?

[AnotherScott]

Are you looking for this for the purpose of using the Nord's keys and a pitch/mod control to drive an external sound source? Or are you looking for a pitch/mod device that will affect the Nord's own sound?

[cphollis]

I have no evidence that the NE5 would respond to pitch-bend messages. I've been looking at an external pedal for that purpose.

[DanL]

The NE5 will respond to pitch bend from an external source. I just tested it to be sure.

[MathOfInsects]

I know from Nord's site that it does respond to pitch-bend messages. It was in a software upgrade notice.

 

I am looking to affect the NE's sounds, not an external source's.

 

Thanks.

[Al Coda]

You want the Yamaha MCS2 MIDI Control Station .

 

There´s also a ROM hack available for the machine.

 

I myself look for one in good condition in germany too.

 

A.C.

[AnotherScott]

Can I hacksaw a small midi board and make one? \

Although wheels (rather than joystick), I think an Alesis Q25 would probably work for that. Assuming the board does what you want when you run the Q25 MIDI Out to the Nord's MIDI IN, I don't know why one couldn't rip the keys out of it and hacksaw half the case away. Maybe there's some comparable small/cheap board with a joystick, I don't know.

 

But the bigger issue may be...

 

I know from Nord's site that it does respond to pitch-bend messages. It was in a software upgrade notice.

 

I am looking to affect the NE's sounds, not an external source's.

 

They did add pitch bend support, but I don't see how the other wheel is going to be able to do anything. Wheels send out CC#1, and they are typically mapped to LFO depth. The NE5 doesn't have an LFO per se, so what would it control? (I guess you could control, say, effect rate if you used something like a MIDI Solutions box to remap CC#1 to the appropriate CC# for that, but why bother, you could just use the front panel knob...)

[MathOfInsects]

Damn, very close. Can I hacksaw off the right-hand side of that?

 

 

[AnotherScott]

I have no evidence that the NE5 would respond to pitch-bend messages. I've been looking at an external pedal for that purpose.

As has been mentioned, that was added in a software update. But for a similar purpose, I've been using a Behringer US600 pedal, because then I can do a pitch bend on a lead even when my other hand is occupied playing some other part. I've also used a continuous ("half-pedaling") sustain pedal through a MIDI Solutions box, allowing me to send standard pitch bend commands from the sustain pedal. That's actually better, in terms of giving you more control, but it's pricier, and more of a nuisance to set up.

[MathOfInsects]

Can I hacksaw a small midi board and make one? \

Although wheels (rather than joystick), I think an Alesis Q25 would probably work for that. Assuming the board does what you want when you run the Q25 MIDI Out to the Nord's MIDI IN, I don't know why one couldn't rip the keys out of it and hacksaw half the case away. Maybe there's some comparable small/cheap board with a joystick, I don't know.

 

But the bigger issue may be...

 

I know from Nord's site that it does respond to pitch-bend messages. It was in a software upgrade notice.

 

I am looking to affect the NE's sounds, not an external source's.

 

They did add pitch bend support, but I don't see how the other wheel is going to be able to do anything. Wheels send out CC#1, and they are typically mapped to LFO depth. The NE5 doesn't have an LFO per se, so what would it control? (I guess you could control, say, effect rate if you used something like a MIDI Solutions box to remap CC#1 to the appropriate CC# for that, but why bother, you could just use the front panel knob...)

 

Thanks. I'm agnostic on the need for the mod anyway. But I do want to do some joysticky stuff and pitch-bend, so at the very least, that single function is necessary.

 

I feel like this should be an arduino project somewhere...

[keyman27]

Will it respond to anything besides +2/-2 semitones? I doubt there is a parameter to adjust this, since there isn't a bender on board...

 

 

[allan_evett]

You want the Yamaha MCS2 MIDI Control Station .

 

There´s also a ROM hack available for the machine.

 

I myself look for one in good condition in germany too.

 

A.C.

 

I owned one of these about ten years ago, paid $40 for it; could never get it to function correctly. It was purchased from a pawn dealer, who basically sold it as-is.

Considering that these are 30+ years old, I think it's time an M.I. manufacturer built a simple pitch/mod controller that would work via MIDI / USB. This has been one of my pet peeves since being a member here. As there are plenty of slab keyboards with synth engines, it seems a no-brainer. Certainly would make a lot of player's SK-1's and Electros a lot more versatile..

[MathOfInsects]

Can I use my OB-1 for this?

[Baldwin Funster]

I have posted this question here and directly to instrument makers. The concensus akways is that it costs them as much to make a 25 key controller with wheels sliders and knobs as it does to make a box with a wheel or 2 only. They can sell the 25 key board for more bucks to a wider pool of buyers and they would have to sell a midi wheel box for the same price as the more featured unit to a very small pool of buyers. Bottom line dont expect anything to be coming out soon. At least not from the big boys. Maybe some boutiqe company might put one out sometime but i expect it would cost a couple hundred bucks or more if it ever happens.

[MathOfInsects]

I'm not sure I follow this one. I can certainly understand the idea that the keys add greater value for minimal cost. But if you could build one without the keys, and still charge the same amount or close to it, wouldn't that mean GREATER profit? At that point, why would volume matter? Manufacturing costs are less or the same, profit is greater, and they'd still be selling the keyed version to the broader market. That seems like so much winning.

 

[MathOfInsects]

I'd think the hothand (link in my OP) might be a contender. Or even the accelerometer in the iphone. An external Roland D-Beam? Nintendo controller? Something...

[Hoochie]

What about a boutique? Get the cheapest one and midi it up.

Kind of a kludge though. I get what you want.

Damned if nobody really makes it though.

Doepfer had a thing a long time ago that was just wheels.

 

Another crazy idea is finding a keyboard with the right size shell and

frankensizing it into that. Then the hard part is software engineering the wheels.

 

What somebody needs to do is make 2 wheels and a couple button switches

with LED's

in a small box on top of a plate with a thumbscrew adjustment

to raise and lower the box that's on the left edge of that plate.

Then you Velcro/screw/glue the plate to the bottom of your

board.

Adjust the height.

Plug the midi cord to the midi in of your board.

It powers up with those 2 buttons to adjust midi channel etc and saves it.

(Most Midi ports have power in line. Not much. But enough)

Done.

 

John

 

[Baldwin Funster]

I'm not sure I follow this one. I can certainly understand the idea that the keys add greater value for minimal cost. But if you could build one without the keys, and still charge the same amount or close to it, wouldn't that mean GREATER profit? At that point, why would volume matter? Manufacturing costs are less or the same, profit is greater, and they'd still be selling the keyed version to the broader market. That seems like so much winning.

 

The point is that they would only sell a very few of the midi wheel units because most buyers would buy the 25 key controller instead considering it a better deal by getting more features for the same price.

[Markyboard]

MOI- have you or would you consider a ribbon controller?